Upper Taneycomo At Its Best In Years

[laker67]

I have never been one to brag on the upper lake for fear that it would draw in the crowd. Since "04", that is just wishful thinking. Right now, there is more quality rainbows, in the upper lake, than I have seen in years, maybe ever. If you are a wade fisherman, then you need to add taney to your wish list for this fall. Right now the fishing is tough, but the fish are there. I won't guarantee that you will catch more than you have ever caught, but you will catch quality fish. And by that I mean fish in the two to four pound range. I started fishing at nine on friday night with the water off and on its way down. In the next six hours I caught 23 fish with only one dink in the bunch. I had two fish pushing the four pound mark and several between two and three. I fished sowbugs all night. Several of the "long fly" fishermen that I talked to, were having similar success. Saturday morning I fished from 8 to 12 and every where I went, from the # 1 to the big hole had quality fish and lots of them. With the wader hatch coming on early in the morning, it makes for alot tougher fishing during the day. I caught two more fish that morning around 3.5 pounds each, and a few more 2 to 3. Overall, maybe 35 to 40 fish, and the only dink was from the night before. The water levels are getting more predictable, so check the charts before you go. With the water off, you stand a good chance of catching some of the quality rainbows that I was fortunate enough to catch. Good luck and give a report.

[Greg]

Thanks for the report. I've gotta get down there @ night.

Greg

[Phil Lilley]

I won't start a new topic... I'll just add to this one.

I've said this is the best I've seen it ever and it's not just below the dam, it's everywhere.

Had more than a half dozen reports Saturday of either seeing big rainbows or hooking and losing big rainbows. No one was fishing above Fall Creek.

I got out this evening with Marsha - first time this summer. She caught a dozen rainbows on a jig- both straight and under a float. I threw a jig and caught about the same number but I was busy netting her fish. Right at dusk, below the narrows, I hooked a big fish. Took 15 minutes to land and I really tried to land her quick. 4-pound line too.

23 inches - beautiful! 1/8th oz sculpin jig.

[Trevor K]

You guys are killing me! How can I be expected to not go crazy while I'm waiting to get down there in Oct if you guys keep posting stuff like this?

[Trout Commander]

+1 on this topic.

I did pretty well Saturday between 7a and 2p. brought between 25-30 to hand and missed/lost quote a few more.

Will post a report with a couple of pics as time permits.

[hookinear]

Just adding on to this to confirm Taneys great status.

Havent been down in quite a while so we rented at Point Royale and mostly fished the water just below the dam between outlet 1 just below 2.

Dad caught this one on an ice shrimp above outlet 2.

Took dad night fishing for the first time in his life. We worked our way from the cable to just above outlet 2. Hooked this fishing on the island across from 2 with an olive wooly. She measured at just under 17 but was think and strong. The picture does it no justice. Dad was throwing a small olive mohair leech and landed a nice rainbow. Our net is 20 inches long and it was an inch or two bigger than the net. I would say it easily was 4+ pounds and made my fish look like a minnow.That was his second cast of the night. I then decided we might need to go get the camera and tape measure. Needless to say i think he is hooked on night fishing now.

I hooked into this 19 inch beast in the flat water just below outlet 2. Im not sure what the fly is called. Its grey fur and has a heavy double lead eye front on it. Looks like a small minnow or sculpin scurrying along the bottom. I picked it up from Anglers and Archery after talking with Adam (i think thats his name at least) The fish wouldnt leave this fly alone. And im not talking about little fish. I caught 20 fish in 2 hours with this fly and every one with the exception of maybe 2 were at least 15 inches long and fat.

Great weekend at Taneycomo again I cannot wait until I head down there again.

[Bman]

I have never been one to brag on the upper lake for fear that it would draw in the crowd. Since "04", that is just wishful thinking. Right now, there is more quality rainbows, in the upper lake, than I have seen in years, maybe ever. If you are a wade fisherman, then you need to add taney to your wish list for this fall. Right now the fishing is tough, but the fish are there. I won't guarantee that you will catch more than you have ever caught, but you will catch quality fish. And by that I mean fish in the two to four pound range. I started fishing at nine on friday night with the water off and on its way down. In the next six hours I caught 23 fish with only one dink in the bunch. I had two fish pushing the four pound mark and several between two and three. I fished sowbugs all night. Several of the "long fly" fishermen that I talked to, were having similar success. Saturday morning I fished from 8 to 12 and every where I went, from the # 1 to the big hole had quality fish and lots of them. With the wader hatch coming on early in the morning, it makes for alot tougher fishing during the day. I caught two more fish that morning around 3.5 pounds each, and a few more 2 to 3. Overall, maybe 35 to 40 fish, and the only dink was from the night before. The water levels are getting more predictable, so check the charts before you go. With the water off, you stand a good chance of catching some of the quality rainbows that I was fortunate enough to catch. Good luck and give a report.

I had a couple of trips to Taney in July, and noticed the same thing Rick. Let’s hope this fall will be one for the record books. I hope a hurricane doesn’t blow straight up from the Gulf and give us flood gates again!

[snagged in outlet 3]

Bman,

Don't even think thoughts like that!!!

SIO3

[laker67]

I had a couple of trips to Taney in July, and noticed the same thing Rick. Let’s hope this fall will be one for the record books. I hope a hurricane doesn’t blow straight up from the Gulf and give us flood gates again!

I'll have to agree with Pete, hurricanes and flood gates are not friendly to us. I remember your posts and pics from July, they are right on Bruce. I ran into a guy named Lee on friday nite. He told me that it was his third trip, in the past week, in an attempt to catch a nite time taney rainbow with no success. How can you walk away from a guy that was trying so hard to catch a fish. I gave him one of my sowbugs that I call the "midnight special", and had the pleasure of witnessing him land his eighth rainbow before I quit at 3am. I think I had more fun than he did. Hope to see guys on the water soon.

[Seth]

Glad to hear the fishing is still doing good. I've been thinking really hard about making a run back down before bow season season starts up. Once that gets here, I pretty much eat, sleep , and breath bowhunting till after gun season is over with. I had the most fun fishing down there this past June than I ever had before.